‘How I Met Your Mother': Names of Ted’s Children Revealed Next Week

For a while, it seemed like How I Met Your Mother was going to wrap up its epic love story last season, finally answering its titular question of just how Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) first came across his future wife. However, as fans know, the series was ultimately renewed for season 9, which has been taking place over the course of a single weekend chronicling the wedding of on-again/off-again lovebirds Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) and Robin (Cobie Smulders). The weekend may be long, but the answers are coming. First up: the children.

According to TVLine, How I Met Your Mother co-creator Craig Thomas confirmed at the Television Critics Association press tour that the show will finally tell viewers the names of the Mother and Ted’s children. The pair – as played by Lyndsy Fonseca (Kick Ass) and David Henrie (Wizards of Waverly Place) – has, of course, been listening to their father’s stories since the show’s pilot episode. The reveal is set to take place in Monday’s new episode, titled “Unpause.”

In addition to that bit of news, Thomas said that Rachel Bilson, Lucy Hale and Sarah Chalke are slated to make return guest appearances on the show’s final season. Bilson has previously appeared as the Mother’s former roommate, and Hale played Katie, Robin’s younger sister, in a season 2 episode. Chalke, meanwhile, appeared in 11 episodes throughout the third and fourth seasons. Her character, Stella Zinman, memorably left Ted at the altar.

The announcement of more returning guest stars isn’t exactly earth-shattering, considering that How I Met Your Mother has been making a concerted effort to bring in a slew of recurring characters for one final appearance. While Hale’s character has a legitimate reason for being at Robin’s wedding, there’s no telling exactly how Bilson and Chalke will appear, though they are likely to show up in flashbacks. Bilson in particular will likely play a role in the 200th episode, which will be told largely from the Mother’s perspective.

As for the revelation that Ted’s children will finally be named, it is definitely a sign that the show is about to enter its final stretch and tie up as many loose ends as possible. It may also be an opportunity for the show’s creative team to finally pay off a long-running gag. In previous episodes, Ted’s love of Star Wars has caused him to admit that he plans to name his children – assuming he has a boy and a girl – Luke and Leia. It will be fun to see if that actually comes into play.

Are you looking forward to the remaining episodes of How I Met Your Mother‘s final season? What mystery do you want solved? Sound off in the comments section below.

How I Met Your Mother airs Mondays @8pm on CBS. The one-hour series finale – titled “Last Forever” – airs on March 31.